Behind The Palin Pull Out

By Justin Miller

Sarah Palin is pulling back from her post-election media spree by withdrawing from CPAC, a move that can only help her if she wants a national political role.

Palin's pull out CPAC is striking because it represents a break in her media modus operandi, which has been to make waves every month since the election. In November she attacking backbiting staffers from the presidential campaign; in December she campaigned for Saxby Chambliss in Georgia; in January she attacked the press for allegedly calling her daughter a high school dropout, slammed election coverage in a conservative film and even responded to an attack from Ashley Judd.

By pulling out of CPAC she guarantees February will be relatively quiet. With continual attention from August to January, Palin courted overexposure, but looks to be avoiding it this month. She's facing criticism in her own state for paying too much attention to her national image, and she wants to rectify that.

Palin did not appear in public solidarity with her party's congressional leadership during the stimulus fight, but had a behind-the-scenes dinner with Sen. Mitch McConnell. Palin's only reaction to the stimulus was a short statement last week saying she supported Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Rep. Don Young's votes against the bill.

Palin doesn't need CPAC: conservatives largely support her and there will be three more conferences before the Republican nomination is decided. John McCain was absent from recent conferences and won the nomination anyway. Palin has seemingly decided she needs a lower profile and doesn't need to mix it up with Obama during his honeymoon.